Former Anambra State Governor and 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has ruled out seeking the office of governor again, saying he would not return to the position even if Nigeria’s Constitution is amended.

Obi made the declaration in a statement on X on Friday while addressing the ongoing controversy over Anambra State’s debt, saying he had no disagreement with the state’s incumbent governor, Chukwuma Soludo, or any other governor in Nigeria.

“I am not seeking the office of governor in any state, and I will not seek that position again, even if the Constitution is amended,” Obi said.

ALSO READ: 2027: Peter Obi Disowns OK Movement Campaign Council, Says ‘It Is Wrong’

The former governor also dismissed suggestions of a personal dispute with Soludo, describing him as his “dear elder brother.”

“I wish to assure the public that I have no disagreement with my dear elder brother, Governor Soludo, or with any governor in Nigeria,” he said.

Obi’s declaration comes amid the ongoing public debate over financial obligations allegedly linked to his administration in Anambra State.

He said he had remained silent over the past few days because he was grieving the death of his “very dear elder brother and friend,” Chief Okey Ezeibe, but said he had decided to respond to issues that had occupied public discussion.

Beyond the Anambra controversy, Obi also called on governors across the country to allow political opponents to campaign freely in their states ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He urged governors to support whichever presidential candidates they preferred while also permitting other presidential candidates and contenders for other offices to campaign without interruption.

“Ultimately, voters should be allowed to determine whom they wish to serve them,” Obi said.

He further urged political actors and Nigerians to focus on the challenges confronting the country and the hardship being experienced by citizens rather than what he described as political distractions.

Obi is currently the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election.

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has distanced himself from the Presidential Campaign Council reportedly constituted by the OK Movement, saying the initiative was created without his knowledge or approval.

Obi made the clarification on Arise TV on Thursday while responding to questions about the ongoing disagreement between the NDC and the OK Movement over the relationship between the party and its support groups.

The OK Movement, comprising supporters of Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, has maintained that it would not surrender its national, state, local government and ward structures to the NDC.

ALSO READ: NDC Condemns Attack on Members in Enugu, Accuses APC of Sponsoring Thugs

Responding to the issue, Obi said the NDC was the political party to which they belonged, while groups such as the OK Movement, Obidient groups and Kwankwasiyya should operate as support groups for the party.

“First… NDC is the political party we all belong to. And I agree entirely with the position of the leader. OK Movement, Obidient group, Kwankwasiyya, and other supporting groups are supporting groups.

They must play their role as supporting groups supporting the party,” Obi said.

He stressed that the support groups should not operate as political parties or create structures that could compete with the NDC.

“They should not play the role of a party,” he said.

Obi specifically referred to the reported creation of a Presidential Campaign Council by the OK Movement, saying it should not have been established independently.

“We found a situation where one of the supporting groups is then saying using the nomenclature that is forming Presidential Campaign Council. It shouldn’t be,” he said.

Asked whether the campaign council was created with his knowledge or approval, Obi responded: “Not at all. And I said here, it is wrong.”

He further said any major action taken by the OK Movement would require the express approval of both himself and Kwankwaso because the movement represents supporters of the two politicians.

“Your supporting OK Movement is Obi and Kwankwaso. So whatever you do must have express approval of both of us,” he said.

The remarks come amid an ongoing disagreement over the political structures to be used by the NDC and the various support groups backing Obi and Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has warned that inadequate funding could undermine security and logistics for the 2027 general elections.

Amupitan gave the warning on Wednesday in Owerri, Imo State, while delivering a goodwill message at the sixth edition of the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers, themed, “Developing a Nigeria Police Roadmap for Effective Management of Security During Elections.”

ALSO READ: Where Is Amupitan?’ — Obidients Demand Answers From INEC

According to the INEC chairman, adequate funding is critical to the effective deployment of security personnel and electoral materials needed for the successful conduct of elections.

He noted that although INEC’s funding is constitutionally provided as a first-line charge on the Consolidated Revenue Fund, the scale of the commission’s responsibilities requires sustained financial support.

Amupitan explained that INEC conducts not only presidential and National Assembly elections but also governorship and State House of Assembly elections, in addition to voter registration and the registration of political parties.

He also pointed out that the commission has statutory powers to request the deployment of security agencies for elections and voter registration, making security an integral component of the electoral process.

He said financial limitations could affect what government agencies are able to accomplish, noting that allocations are often determined by what is available and affordable at a particular time.

“Sometimes, it is not what you would like to do that you are able to do because of financial constraints.”

Amupitan further stressed the importance of voter registration, describing it as the foundation of credible elections.

He warned that an inaccurate or outdated voters’ register could undermine the inclusiveness of the electoral process, adding that INEC’s responsibility for elections across the three tiers of government makes election expenditure a collective national responsibility.

The INEC chairman said adequate funding would be particularly important for deploying personnel and electoral materials to local government areas, wards, registration areas and polling units across the country.

According to him, even where security agencies successfully maintain peace, inadequate logistics could still affect the effective conduct of elections.

Amupitan said security and logistics had remained priorities under his leadership, adding that the commission was working with government and security agencies to address operational challenges ahead of the 2027 polls.

He also highlighted the role of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), describing it as a platform for coordinating INEC, security agencies and other relevant government institutions on election security.

He explained that ICCES, which emerged as a coordinating arrangement following the 2011 general elections amid concerns over post-election violence, has since developed into a structured election-security mechanism operating at federal, state and local government levels.

At the national level, the Inspector-General of Police participates in the arrangement, while commissioners of police are represented at the state level and divisional police leadership at the local level.

Amupitan said continued coordination among INEC, the police and other security agencies would be essential to ensuring that security and logistical challenges do not undermine the 2027 general elections.